British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday he wanted the Zimbabwe cricket team to be banned from touring England in 2009 and from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, which England are due to host."The Secretary for Culture is working with the English Cricket Board," Brown told lawmakers at the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday."We want to ensure that Zimbabwe does not tour England next year and we will call for other countries to join us in banning Zimbabwe from the Twenty20 international tournament."Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Andy Burnham was due to make a statement to the House of Commons later on Wednesday.British ministers want Zimbabwe to be barred from playing in next year's one-day internationals against England as well as the Twenty20 World Cup as a protest against the policies of President Robert Mugabe.There have long been concerns about the Mugabe regime in Britain.But the recent withdrawal from Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the second round of the country's presidential election and the growing social and economic problems in the troubled African state appear to have acted as a catalyst for action by British ministers.Officials at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will be happy for the Government to take the matter out of their hands.It means the ECB will escape a fine of two million dollars (one million pounds), which would have been imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) had they banned Zimbabwe themselves.Jeremy Hunt, the culture, media and sport spokesman for the main opposition Conservative party, speaking before Brown made his remarks, said: "Gordon Brown needs to match tough words with tough actions."If we are not going to recognize the regime, why are we welcoming a team that is run by Mugabe's henchmen and will only be used to legitimise the evil he is perpetrating?"Banning them from coming, by refusing to issue visas would send a clear message to Mugabe - the Zimbabwe cricket team is not welcome here whilst his criminal regime hangs on to power."Zimbabwe, which effectively suspended itself from Test cricket because of a collapse in playing standards, could now be frozen out of the one-day game when the ICC's executive board meets in Dubai next week.However, the issue of Zimbabwe only moved on to the ICC agenda after the decision by South Africa on Monday to suspend cricket ties with its African neighbour.If seven full members of the ICC board agree, Zimbabwe will be suspended from international cricket. But, as was the case with Test matches, they could drop out without waiting for a ruling.
